FUNDING TO STOP ABORIGINAL PRISONERS REOFFENDING
Joint Media Release
The Hon Brendan O’connor
Minister for Home Affairs
Damian Hale, MP
Member for Solomon
1 October 2009
Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor and Member for Solomon Damian Hale today announced funding of $499,547 to work with Aboriginal prisoners to stop them re-offending.
The funding will be given to the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), an experienced organisation that has done excellent culturally sensitive work with the community, Mr O’Connor said.
“This project will provide intensive services for Indigenous prisoners at the Darwin Correctional and Don Dale Centres, both before and after they are released in an effort to stop them re-offending,” Mr O’Connor said.
“The NAAJA Indigenous Prisoner Through-Care project will be working to improve rehabilitation and integration by helping prisoners find employment and housing, and improve their health and life skills.
“These prisoners have a range of needs when they are released from prison that are important to address to stop the cycle of re-offending.”
Mr Hale said “This program will look at the diverse needs of these people including rehabilitation, housing, employment, health, life skills, reconnection to family and community, education and training.”
“Programs that are culturally sensitive and address the needs of Indigenous prisoners can help reduce the high rates of imprisonment amongst Indigenous Australians,” Mr Hale said.
Priscilla Collins CEO of NAAJA says “NAAJA thanks the Australian Government for supporting NAAJA’s Indigenous Prisoner Through care Program which aims to reduce the high recidivism rate of Indigenous prisoners from the Darwin Correctional Centre and Don Dale Centre.”
“Our program will provide an intensive pre and post release rehabilitation and reintegration service for Indigenous prisoners by providing case management for individual prisoners to assist them with opportunities when they are released from prison,” Ms Collins said.
The grant is one of a number to be made under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) which enables money from assets confiscated under Commonwealth law to be returned to the community. More than $6 million of funding under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) will be distributed to community groups for crime prevention and Indigenous prisoner projects.
Media Contact: Christian Taubenschlag 0438 595 567
